Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys are reportedly set to work out La’el Collins. The Dallas Cowboys are dealing with a number of injuries early on in training camp, particularly along the offensive line. It has made sense to consider options for them to explore by way of free agency and they appear at least willing to do so. ESPN’s Todd Archer reported on Thursday afternoon that the Cowboys will work out former team offensive lineman La’el Collins. The Cowboys will work out veteran OL La’el Collins on Friday, according to sources. Collins started 71 of 74 games in three different stints with the Cowboys, including a practice squad slot at the end of ’23. He did not play last year following his release from Buffalo. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 31, 2025 As noted the Cowboys are banged up along the offensive line. Terence Steele was reportedly dealing with an ankle issue and then Rob Jones fractured a bone in his neck, something that will sideline him 2-3 months. On top of that, second-year left tackle Tyler Guyton suffered a bone fracture that will take him out 4-6 weeks. That is a lot of attrition that was accumulating early. What’s more is that on Thursday it was reported before practice that Hakeen Adeniji is dealing with a concussion. Another offensive lineman down. Hakeem Adeniji suffered a concussion. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 31, 2025 As if this weren’t enough, the Cowboys were dealt another scary moment during practice when Tyler Smith left about 30 minutes early. Smith told reporters while walking off that it was fine and the Cowboys went on to say that matters were precautionary. Jerry Jones specified that Smith was dealing with tendinitis. Cowboys All-Pro LG Tyler Smith (knee) leaving practice. Asked if he’s OK: “I’m straight.” pic.twitter.com/XEOCklEt9C — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 31, 2025 Jerry Jones tells @dmn_cowboys that Tyler Smith left practice with tendinitis in his knee. — Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) July 31, 2025 Clearly it makes sense for the Cowboys to look into veteran help along the offensive line, but La’el Collins’ name was probably not one that anybody saw surfacing any time soon. Collins obviously has a history with the team and was a prominent member of the offensive line in the early days of the Dak Prescott era, but it has been a minute to say the least.

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Shavon Revel may need more time to be fully ready for the Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys have an interesting player on their roster in third-round rookie Shavon Revel. This is the case because if not for injury, Revel could have arguably gone in the first round of the NFL draft. Unfortunately for Revel he tore his ACL while at East Carolina last season. The injury happened in September and there has long been speculation about as to when he will be fully ready. Revel opened training camp on the team’s NFI list (not the PUP list due to his injury happening while in college), and since camp began there have not been many breadcrumbs on the subject. That changed on Thursday when 105.3 The Fan’s Gavin Dawson noted that Revel’s father told their show that Shavon may need “another 6-8 weeks” to return from injury. Shavon Revel’s Dad just told us on the show it’s looking like another 6-8 weeks for him to come back from the knee. Also clarified the pronunciation is suh-vone — Gavin Dawson (@gavindawson) July 31, 2025 It is possible that some Cowboys fans will be upset or panic over this, but the reality here is that this was always going to be a game of patience. Dallas got an incredible player in Revel, but they knew that they were going to have to wait for him to fully recover. It is what it is, for lack of a better term. For what it’s worth, eight weeks from now would put us at the end of September (roughly speaking) so perhaps Revel will only miss the first month of the season. Obviously there is a long way to go before any of those conclusions can be drawn, but this is the first legitimate timeframe that has been reported about his overall recovery.

Chris Jones-Imagn Images How much confidence do you have in the Cowboys without Tyler Guyton? The way new Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has built a level of trust in the fanbase from the time of his hire to just a few practices into his first training camp is nothing short of remarkable. The Cowboys took to the practice field again on Wednesday after a day off on Tuesday, marking their first practice since losing left tackle Tyler Guyton on Monday to what is luckily not an ACL tear. Guyton will still factor into the Cowboys plans at left tackle, but will do so after missing valuable reps in a new system with a new play-caller, offensive coordinator, and line coach. On top of that, Guyton did not have the type of rookie season the Cowboys have come to expect from first-round offensive linemen. Guyton’s injury is the latest open door in the name of competition and finding the best players ready to compete in Oxnard. The first opportunity to step into the starting left tackle role went to second-year draft pick Nate Thomas. On paper, this fact alone should be ringing alarm bells all throughout the Cowboys fanbase and a very serious cause for concern. For a team with so many questions coming into the year on the heels of their first losing season in four tries, there simply is nothing more important to the Cowboys turning things around than the health, level of play, and support they give to quarterback Dak Prescott. A quality left tackle is very high on the list of priority positions when it comes to supporting a franchise quarterback, and Dallas of all teams knows they need to be deeper to withstand the season’s attrition. Yet here they are in Oxnard, one injury away from a player with zero professional snaps being the starting practice left tackle. A seventh-round draft pick in 2024, Thomas was hurt and placed on injured reserve before ever getting a chance to appear in the preseason as a rookie. This is where that trust in Schottenheimer comes in. Thomas was a player he called out early on as one that’s caught his eye going into his second camp with the Cowboys. So far, it seems like at least on the true football stuff between the lines, fans are willing to buy into Schottenheimer’s vision for the offense. There is excitement for his use of new route concepts, motions, shifts, and run game focus, but now this list must include a solid plan to solve for left tackle. Wednesday’s practice was the first glimpse into what these things may look like, although the Cowboys went through it in shells instead of full pads, after back-to-back fully-padded practices on Sunday and Monday. What jumps out about Nate Thomas to Brian Schottenheimer? Power, nimble feet, great length. Adds that Asim Richards and Hakeem Adeniji will see reps at left tackle as well. #Cowboys — Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) July 30, 2025 Thomas and Asim Richards shared the reps at left tackle throughout this practice, which is noteworthy, but also done out of necessity. Backup tackle Hakeem Adeniji was in street clothes and not available at Wednesday’s practice, and rookie Ajani Cornerlius was kicked out of practice for fighting. The Cowboys simply didn’t have many options beyond Thomas and Richards, even if they wanted them. Ajani Cornelius kicked out of practice for fighting pic.twitter.com/EpDKnJ08NV — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) July 30, 2025 This puts an even bigger spotlight on Thomas to perform with the first crack at starting LT reps. As Schottenheimer pointed out, this is a square player with a very large frame that is hard to get around as a tackle. Thomas is not the most graceful or technically sound tackle, but at his best is able to overpower defenders and push them upfield. This trait will fit in particularly well with what the Cowboys are aiming for in the run game, but pass protection for Prescott still needs to be a higher priority at the LT spot. Some of the ways the Cowboys can help Thomas get up to speed as a pass protector if called upon to make real starts were on display in Oxnard. Getting the ball out of Prescott’s hands quickly and to his playmakers in space is a goal in the short passing game, which was on display as the Cowboys did a good amount of red zone work. CeeDee Lamb pic.twitter.com/ts4DVWAyuK — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 All Thomas has to do on this rep is get the hands of the defensive end down to give Prescott a clear lane to throw a fade to CeeDee Lamb, and the Cowboys WR1 did the rest. Thomas measured in the 90th percentile for hand size as a prospect out of Louisiana, and can use them to stop defenders in their tracks. This is not a tackle the Cowboys will want to see dealing with too many hyper-athletic rushers capable of stringing together pass rush moves and countering, but getting overpowered or conceding the corner with a bad get off are lesser concerns with Thomas. Thomas will give ground in his set and wait to engage rushers until they’re closer to the level of the quarterback, which is not always ideal, but also something the Cowboys can use to their advantage with a mobile QB like Prescott and their deep cast of running backs and receiving tight ends to take advantage of space in the flats. Cowboys working red zone. Jake Ferguson with the catch here pic.twitter.com/BW9M7ZdEUb — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 30, 2025 This style of pass pro can be seen in this clip from Thomas, on a play that has become a staple of Cowboys practices so far, Prescott completing the ball all over the field to TE1 Jake Ferguson. There were also several reps where Thomas failing to engage his defender sooner led to him being put on skates a bit, but overall

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Schotty is not messing around. I know what you’re thinking. And yes, the Cowboys’ first-year head coach is Wednesday’s practice star of the day. The Cowboys had a relatively short practice on Wednesday, due to multiple fights that broke out during practice. After rookie offensive tackle Ajani Cornelius was kicked out of practice for fighting, the entire practice was ended and the team ran for the remainder of practice due to another fight that happened shortly after. Too much fighting, and Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer isn’t happy. “You want to fight, let’s f—cking fight. Get your ass on the sideline.” He’s making them run. pic.twitter.com/2ln1Q3p8zT — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 What CeeDee Lamb said after practice regarding what Schottenheimer said to the team was really what led to the decision to name Schottenheimer the star of the day. For almost two decades now, the Cowboys have had teams good enough to win it all, but their lack of discipline and coaching has cost them in the playoffs. Schottenheimer attempted to set the tone and his expectations today showing that lack of discipline will not be tolerated under his supervision. Wednesday’s practice was cut short after one early ejection and a number of skirmishes that led Brian Schottenheimer to force the players to run a series of sprints. What was the coach’s message to the team? CeeDee Lamb: pic.twitter.com/klxowiJ1xT — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 30, 2025 Of course everyone wants to see the highlight reel catches, big-time throws, and the battles in the trenches, but in the end everyone should want to win it all, and the lack of discipline and coaching has been a major reason that has yet to happen in almost 30 years. At the end of the day, this does not mean that Brian Schottenheimer will be a Super Bowl-caliber coach, but it shows he is focused on fixing things that this team has struggled mightily with for almost the last two decades. Now we will see how the team responds. Will the fighting stop? We will find out, but this is a step in the right direction for the discipline of the 2025 Dallas Cowboys.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Osa Odighizuwa on Cowboys’ attack front, impressions of new teammates – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys defender spoke to the ferocity of the defensive unit in the trenches. “Osa’s been great. I love his work ethic, I love the way he brings guys together,” Eberflus said. “He’s been working with the young guys, the young d-tackles that we have with Tommy [Akingbesote] and Jay [Toia], really doing a good job with Mazi, then having Solly in there has been wonderful as well.” Eberflus’ defensive approach has an emphasis on the attack front, making his defensive line push up the field and get after the ball carrier. It’s a similar approach to what Dan Quinn did when he was the Cowboys defensive coordinator, but at the same time it’s very different. How does Eberflus’ approach help in run defense? “Makes it a lot more simple for everyone involved.” Odighizuwa said. On the outside of the defensive line, Odighizuwa is excited about what the Cowboys have in the pass rushing department. He’s not as excited as Sam Williams is, though, to be back on the field after missing last year with an ACL tear. “Sam’s bringing that energy every day, you know?” Odighizuwa said. “You can tell he’s been itching to get back out here, so I love having him back out there, just having the energy and having him be able to help us too.” Rookie second round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku has caught the eye of onlookers during practice, and Odighizuwa is getting the same impression with a front row view. “Eze’s nice, I’m not gonna lie,” Odighizuwa said with a big smile. “He’s very athletic, got good strength to him too despite what you might about his size, he’s very sneaky strong. I feel like he’s a good addition, he’s smart as well and very disciplined. I think he’s someone who is going to be able to come in and help us a lot.” Micah Parsons projected trade price would be massive haul for Cowboys – Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated He won’t be traded, but if he were, Dallas would make a killing on draft capital. We’re nearly in August and the Dallas Cowboys have yet to come to terms with superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons. Dragging out negotiations has become an annual event, which also leads to plenty of trade speculation. While Dallas has been able to come to terms with their star players before the start of the regular season, there’s always an outside chance they could decide against paying top market money. The players could also get fed up with the media games and decide they would rather go elsewhere. It’s highly unlikely this round of negotiations ends with anything other than Parsons signing a mega-deal that resets the market for pass rushers. Still, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell discussed what a potential trade would bring for Dallas, and begins with the Khalil Mack trade in 2018. ”I expect that to occur with the Cowboys before Week 1, but if they did decide they couldn’t justify paying three players market-setting deals at the league’s three most expensive positions, he would attract a massive trade haul,” Barnwell wrote. “The closest comp is Khalil Mack, who in 2018 was traded before his fifth season with a second-round pick for two first-round picks, a third-rounder, and a sixth-rounder.” Barnwell, who also said Parsons will likely stay in Dallas, would net more than Mack. He’s younger than Mack was when traded and has more sacks over his first four seasons. That’s why Barnwell says Parsons would cost another team “two first-round picks and more.” Again, the smart play is to pay Parsons and keep the leader of the defense around. Even though it would be a historic haul. Why the Jake Ferguson extension is another reason for a deal with WR George Pickens – Sean Martin, BloggingTheBoys.com Let’s talk about other players’ contracts for a change. It feels crazy and borderline depressing to say this as a fact, but the Cowboys are living in a reality where their franchise quarterback in Prescott has more years behind him as a starter then he does ahead. For a team that has talked a big game but hardly backed it up when it comes to a sense of urgency to win around Prescott, the time is simply now or never to show it. One area they have fallen short around Prescott is with fluctuations in both talent and continuity at wide receiver. They’ve gone into a season pushing Allen Hurns as a legitimate threat, and they’ve also built trios like Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb. For an array of reasons on both ends of this spectrum, nothing has worked when it comes to Prescott backing up some of the best passing numbers in the league to these targets with a deeper run in the playoffs. The term “Dak friendly” (started all the way back under Jason Garrett) has been thrown around, debated, and more recently twisted into the latest reason to discredit Prescott’s legitimacy as a starter. To outside fans looking in, the “friendliest” the Cowboys offense could possibly ever get around Dak was that trio of Cooper, Gallup, and Lamb, with a strong offensive line and run game also in place during this time. Those same fans may be finally eating their words a bit with Lamb and Pickens now the top dogs at WR for the Cowboys. In order for these things to be the first seeds of the Cowboys showing real urgency and a desire to keep star players happy and focused on winning long term, extending Pickens is a very logical next step. The Cowboys simply don’t have the time ahead of them on these other big contracts offensively to make 2025, and each subsequent year with Prescott and Schottenheimer specifically, a year they aren’t “going for it”. Being right back in this position at this time next year

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Brian Schottenheimer is not messing around. The Dallas Cowboys are in their second week of training camp, the first camp that Brian Schottenheimer has been overseeing as head coach. It is difficult to draw a hard conclusion about the Schottenheimer era in this sense given that the sample size is so small, but still some things are rather obvious. One of those is that the Cowboys are going to have physical practices. Schottenheimer has preached physicality and noted that he wants it to carry over into actual games. While that is the goal, Schotty has also noted there is a limit to it all. Dallas has had a few scuffles break out and Schottenheimer has been specific in mentioning that this will not be tolerated. He has cited the discipline issues that the Cowboys dealt with in the past as part of his justification for an iron fist in this sense. Wednesday saw that fist rule as things got a bit “physical” and Schottenheimer decided enough was enough. He had the team run to try and nip it in the bud. Practice was getting chippy again, so Brian Schottenheimer stopped practice, pulled them into a huddle and told them to get on the line. They’re now running as a punishment. pic.twitter.com/CfE1ByEhyE — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 30, 2025 You can see that Schottenheimer clearly wants there to be an understanding as far as how far things can be pushed. Given the penalty issues that the Cowboys have dealt with it makes sense to try and hold them more accountable. Such was particularly the case for Cowboys rookie Ajani Cornelius. He was thrown out of practice altogether for throwing a punch, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Brian Schottenheimer wasn’t kidding. OT Ajani Cornelius threw a punch and was kicked out of practice. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 30, 2025 Again, the consequences seem quite clear. Physicality, toughness and all of the football clichés are wanted and encouraged, but you better not take things too far. If you do there will be restrictions placed on the group or perhaps banishment in the case of Cornelius. CeeDee Lamb spoke on this whole ordeal after the session and echoed what Schottenheimer has been preaching while also citing the discipline issues the Cowboys have dealt with in the past. Wednesday’s practice was cut short after one early ejection and a number of skirmishes that led Brian Schottenheimer to force the players to run a series of sprints. What was the coach’s message to the team? CeeDee Lamb: pic.twitter.com/klxowiJ1xT — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 30, 2025 Lamb has also seemingly taken on a new leadership role, and these words certainly line up with that idea. He isn’t wrong in noting that the Cowboys have had moments and opportunities for success, but that they have gotten in their own way and that has worked to their detriment. The Brian Schottenheimer era appears to be very different.

Photo by Shelly Katz /Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 36) with some Cowboys history We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we are running through 100 Days of Cowboys. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football. Today – number 36. John Niland Born: February 29, 1944. Quincy, MassachusettsPosition: Offensive guard Dallas Cowboys: 1966-1974Awards: Super Bowl champion- VIAll-Pro- 1969, 1971, 1972Pro Bowl– 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 Photo by James Flores/Getty Images John Niland played guard for the Dallas Cowboys from 1966 to 1974 after being selected as a first-round draft pick out of Iowa. Known for his explosive strength, athleticism, and pulling ability, Niland was a cornerstone of the Cowboys’ offensive line during their rise to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was selected to six consecutive Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro, helping the Cowboys win Super Bowl VI and consistently opening running lanes for stars like Calvin Hill and Duane Thomas. Photo by: Diamond Images/Getty Images Best known for:Niland was best known for being one of the most dominant guards of his era, anchoring the left side of the Cowboys’ offensive line during their first Super Bowl-winning years. Lesser known fact:Niland displayed rare versatility and toughness which caught Tom Landry’s attention, leading Dallas to make him the first offensive lineman they ever selected in the first round of the draft, a pick that paid off for nearly a decade. David Boss-Imagn Images

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Here is what social media had to say about Wednesday’s Dallas Cowboys practice Things are in full flow for the Dallas Cowboys in Oxnard now and some heroes are starting to shine. What heroes do we have today? Check out below with some coverage from social media on the highlights and most noteworthy moments from the day. Cowboys are not in full pads today pic.twitter.com/B6vaMX11l9 — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 The good news is Tyler Guyton isn’t out for the season and a plan is in place to hold the left tackle position for now. Nate Thomas will work with the first team at left tackle in Tyler Guyton’s absence. Schottenheimer told Thms to “just go play.” He’s a “Big man. Great feet. Great Length and powerful.” — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 30, 2025 No Hakeem Adeniji today. So the LT competition will be Asim Richards vs. Nate Thomas today. pic.twitter.com/Obe8JLbscw — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 30, 2025 And on injury news, DeMarvion Overshown has been spotted. DeMarvion Overshown has started doing the daily coach tradition of going through the stretching lines and shaking the hands of all his teammates. #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/BLJmBpgHoU — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 30, 2025 The whole Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb thing is just too easy. Dak and CeeDee pic.twitter.com/Unx6ffWZ1l — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Touchdown. Dak to CeeDee Lamb with DaRon Bland in coverage. pic.twitter.com/0Q7Jb448wz — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 30, 2025 Dak Prescott ➡️ Ceedee Lamb for SIX #CowboysCamp pic.twitter.com/jKkOEgvaE1 — Kyle Youmans (@Kyle_Youmans) July 30, 2025 In QB drills, Dak hits the mark with ease. Dak Prescott target practice pic.twitter.com/VS7G7b9MUT — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Jake Ferguson making his extension worth it. Cowboys working red zone. Jake Ferguson with the catch here pic.twitter.com/BW9M7ZdEUb — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 30, 2025 Dak to Jake Ferguson TD pic.twitter.com/X3z3sGNilU — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 George Pickens makes the touchdown grab. Touchdown. Dak to CeeDee Lamb with DaRon Bland in coverage. pic.twitter.com/0Q7Jb448wz — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 30, 2025 George Pickens pic.twitter.com/HN0cvpwdXt — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Joe Milton finds John Stephens in the corner of the endzone. Joe Milton to John Stephens pic.twitter.com/05GIEYZ1cv — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 And then finds Princeton Fant. Joe Milton to Princeton Fant pic.twitter.com/ICYHiJ3z4W — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Running backs all makes plays. Javonte Williams pic.twitter.com/tGbmdiaXQc — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Jaydon Blue pic.twitter.com/l2pCZTQ7Iz — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Jaydon Blue getting some carries with the first team offense too #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/Z5N3YtFMga — Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) July 30, 2025 Kaiir Elam continues to impress and shine in Oxnard. Kaiir Elam interception pic.twitter.com/987lCcc19k — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Brian Schottenheimer has had enough of the fighting. Ajani Cornelius kicked out of practice for fighting pic.twitter.com/EpDKnJ08NV — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) July 30, 2025 Not sure ive seen this… Schotty stopped practice bc of too many fight and is now making them run sprints…. — ₗₐₙᴰₒₙ (@McCoolBCB) July 30, 2025 Highlight of The Day Now add another receiver into the mix of spectacular catches. Traeshon Holden pic.twitter.com/59U6MbUYxD — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 (And the cherry on top, Holden scored again later). Another Traeshon Holden TD pic.twitter.com/K0I9CYRnfV — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 30, 2025 Fan Section I can’t say the last time I’ve actually been this excited for a cowboys season to start and it’s bc of schotty — ‍❄️ (@miguelthegoatc) July 30, 2025 yes bring back Gilly — SgtFoxx (@rw2lite) July 30, 2025

The Dallas Cowboys rewarded one of their homegrown players going into a contract season with an extension on Sunday, helping with offensive continuity while national attention is still focused around their lack of doing so for a similarly homegrown player on defense in Micah Parsons. For now, it is tight end Jake Ferguson who will continue into padded practices in Oxnard with a new contract in hand. The Cowboys signed Ferguson to a four-year extension worth $52 million. It is a deal that runs concurrent to the remaining years under contract for quarterback Dak Prescott, as well as first year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer has talked a lot about wanting to get all of the tight ends at the Cowboys’ disposal more involved, and even in unpadded practices this has showed early in training camp with particularly the most experienced of the bunch Ferguson making plays. This is a player that had a down year a season ago, but did so under the context of battling through injuries, catching passes from Cooper Rush and not Dak Prescott for most of the year, and being one of the only legitimate threats next to CeeDee Lamb that defenses had to worry about. The Cowboys are clearly expecting to solve for these things, without the worry of even more contract drama, by creating continuity now between Prescott, Lamb, and Ferguson. The position the Cowboys found themselves in at wide receiver a season ago was unfortunately not an unfamiliar one. The outlook beyond Lamb called for unproven and inexperienced players being forced to play well above their current roles if the pass offense was going to remain dynamic. Ferguson was, at times, mentioned as a potential saving grace for this entire unit, after making wide receiver-esque run-after-the-catch type plays often in 2023. As it turned out, this expectation was even too much for Ferguson, with the lack of more outside receiving threats being compounded by an even bigger lack of a run game for Dallas, completely neutralizing a lot of his big-play ability down the seams. The Cowboys also feel they have their solution here going into year one of Schottenheimer as play-caller, but the only missing piece now is another contract extension. Wide receiver George Pickens, traded for in the offseason from the Pittsburgh Steelers, is also on the last year of his deal going into what both his old and new team have called a needed scenery change for 2025. Pickens teaming up with Lamb gives the Cowboys a pair of dynamic receivers with complementary skillsets. The Cowboys mission on offense is to create more space for their play makers and do so out of formations that present multiple looks to the defense, while exploiting matchups further with motion and shifts. These things should all be music to the ears of both Lamb and Pickens, and even Ferguson. If this WR tandem gets going like fans and coaches alike believe is possible, it will also be music to the ears of the recently extended Jake Ferguson. The Cowboys should get ahead on extending WR George Pickens now. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images It feels crazy and borderline depressing to say this as a fact, but the Cowboys are living in a reality where their franchise quarterback in Prescott has more years behind him as a starter then he does ahead. For a team that has talked a big game but hardly backed it up when it comes to a sense of urgency to win around Prescott, the time is simply now or never to show it. One area they have fallen short around Prescott is with fluctuations in both talent and continuity at wide receiver. They’ve gone into a season pushing Allen Hurns as a legitimate threat, and they’ve also built trios like Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb. For an array of reasons on both ends of this spectrum, nothing has worked when it comes to Prescott backing up some of the best passing numbers in the league to these targets with a deeper run in the playoffs. The term “Dak friendly” (started all the way back under Jason Garrett) has been thrown around, debated, and more recently twisted into the latest reason to discredit Prescott’s legitimacy as a starter. To outside fans looking in, the “friendliest” the Cowboys offense could possibly ever get around Dak was that trio of Cooper, Gallup, and Lamb, with a strong offensive line and run game also in place during this time. Those same fans may be finally eating their words a bit with Lamb and Pickens now the top dogs at WR for the Cowboys. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Cowboys have embraced giving full organizational support to Brian Schottenheimer and his new staff, particularly on the personnel side of things. For the first time in a very long time, the Cowboys are not just talking about wanting to acquire players that hyper-fit what their coaches are looking for, they’re backing it up in smart ways – and even some new ones. It shouldn’t be forgotten that trading for Pickens was one of just multiple trades the Cowboys made this offseason, in addition to viable free agent signings as well. They got busy in player acquisition to support Schottenheimer’s debut season in multiple ways. In order for these things to be the first seeds of the Cowboys showing real urgency and a desire to keep star players happy and focused on winning long term, extending Pickens is a very logical next step. The Cowboys simply don’t have the time ahead of them on these other big contracts offensively to make 2025, and each subsequent year with Prescott and Schottenheimer specifically, a year they aren’t “going for it”. Being right back in this position at this time next year talking about how the Cowboys can continue tweaking wide receiver and tight end to make things work around Prescott would be a major disappointment. The pressure is on now to make this thing work from the

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Do you think the Cowboys should give any consideration to moving Tyler Smith to left tackle? Tyler Smith is an All-Pro guard. Watching him pummel defenders in the trenches has become a glorious sight over the past two seasons. The Dallas Cowboys drafted the Tulsa tackle 24th overall in 2022 with the intentions of sliding him inside to play guard; however, an injury to Tyron Smith forced him to man the edge during his rookie season. There were some bumps along the way, but the then 21-year-old held up admirably at the most important position on the offensive line. The following year, when Tyron Smith was back, Tyler took over the left guard spot and flourished. It was a match made in heaven. All his deficiencies, such as balance, technique, and lack of discipline, transformed into a powerful downhill mauler who would take defenders on a stroll. Holding penalties were replaced with highlights as this previously raw talent immediately transformed into one of the game’s best interior offensive linemen. You’d have to be a crazy person to ever consider moving him back outside. [crazy has entered the chat] Now that we have shared our feelings on why Smith needs to stay firmly planted at left guard, let’s shake up this Etch-A-Sketch and draw a picture of why moving him to left tackle might be worth visiting. Again, we’re not advocating for this; we’re just entertaining all options in the spirit of being thorough. It looks like last year’s seventh-round pick, Nate Thomas, will be getting the first crack, but here are some things the Cowboys should take into consideration. Stability at left tackle is now a legit concern The Cowboys selected Tyler Guyton to replace Tyron Smith after the 13-year veteran struggled to stay healthy. Smith missed games in each of his last eight seasons with the Cowboys, including a three-year stretch from 2020-2022 where he missed 70% of his games. Unfortunately, Guyton’s career is not off to a great start. He dealt with injuries last season, and counting his final two years in college, this will now make four-straight years that he’s missed time due to injuries. His story is far from written, but his inability to stay healthy is a little concerning. Over the last nine seasons, only one player has started every game at left tackle for the Cowboys. And that player is Tyler Smith. The team has a lot more depth at guard With Guyton out of action, the Cowboys must now put out an ABP for a replacement left tackle. They have some in-house options among the current tackles, our own Brandon Loree laid them out for us, including Nate Thomas. The solution could be found with backup tackles, but those names don’t inspire much confidence. Protecting Dak Prescott’s blind spot is rather important. What the Cowboys lack in tackle depth, they have in spades along the interior. Brock Hoffman was expected to be the team’s new right guard, but that changed when the team drafted Tyler Booker. They also have Rob Jones, who, unfortunately, suffered a setback after breaking a bone in his neck, but he could return in October. T.J. Bass is also on standby. Not only does the team have an abundance of depth along the interior, but moving Smith to left tackle could put Booker back to his natural position at left guard, where he played in all but one game during his time at Alabama. Smith is going to be paid like a top offensive lineman Soon, Smith will become one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the league, bringing in north of $25 million per year. That’s a lot of money. Normally, the big money going out to offensive linemen goes towards the tackle position. If you look at the top 13 highest-paid offensive linemen, only one player (Kansas City’s Trey Smith) is a guard. Good players are good players, and it’s not sacrilegious for the Cowboys to pay top dollar for an elite guard. They’ve done it before with Zack Martin. But it’s also not a bad idea to have your big contracts go to premium positions. How do we know how good he is at left tackle? There’s no world where the Cowboys should be willing to trade an All-Pro guard for a mediocre tackle. The team should want their players in a position to be their best and shouldn’t tinker with it for the sole sake of compensating for a lack of depth. But what if Smith can also be great at left tackle? We can’t base his entire potential on one rookie season where he entered the NFL as a raw prospect. Who’s to say that with more development, he can’t turn into a stud left tackle as well? Remember, back in 2011, Tyron Smith played right tackle during his rookie season, the position he played in college. But after learning that Doug Free wasn’t the answer at left tackle, they switched them, and Smith handled the transition quite well. We all know how that turned out.